2011 Carrera Special Edition

One question that often gets asked on the watch forums is why a particular watch that someone has seen at a dealer isn’t featured on the main TAG Heuer website or in the printed catalogue.

Part of the reason is that the way that watches are sold has changed. It used to be that all of a brands’ new models were shown to buyers at the Basel exhibition in March of each year and then delivered across the year- so it was easy to catalogue that years’ watches.

Now, most brands want to have a few surprises throughout the year, and so while Basel remains important, it’s now simply the main launch of the year, rather than the only launch. While the catalogues are printed early in the year, some 2011 models won’t be officially shown until October/ November, meaning they never make a catalogue.

But this week’s watch is something a little different: A Carrera that is on sale now, but not available from your high-street outlet or boutique.

So before taking a closer look at this Carrera, it’s worth going into a little more detail about how watches are categorised inside TAG Heuer.

Categories of Watches

The first type of watch is a standard production model. These are pretty self-explanatory, as you see these every day in Authorised Dealers (“ADs”). If your AD sells out of stock, they can simply order more. Typically, it’s these watches that are featured in the annual catalogue and on the website.

The second type is also fairly obvious- the Limited Editions. Only a set number of these is made, and sometimes an AD will get an allocation, sometimes they won’t. After all, there are only a fixed number to go around.

The third type is perhaps the least well-known- it’s the Special Orders, which TAG Heuer refer to as “ADIS” models. ADIS originally stood for “Animation Dial Information Sheet”, but now refers to a watch that is a special order.

Before any of these are made, ADs around the world have to commit to how many of these they will buy from TAG Heuer- and that is the number that is produced- no more, no less. This includes watches like the original Monaco Twenty-Four Gulf and special editions produced for a single country. Sometimes a special order watch turns into a regular production model- sometimes they are featured in a catalogue, but most of the time they aren’t.

But while most TAG Heuer watches fit within one of these three categories, there are sometimes watches that fall outside these definitions- such as the Carrera you see below, reference CAR2211 (white) and CAR2210 (black). This unique Carrera not only isn’t available in most markets, but it also isn’t available from a normal store- you can only buy this one from a TAG Heuer outlet store.

Special Edition Carrera

The watch above is a version of the Carrera that was intended to be sold through the normal channels, before it was cancelled late in development. Instead of scrapping the watch altogether, it was decided to make small numbers of the watch available through the TAG Heuer outlet stores.

While the watch uses the familiar Calibre 16 (Valjoux 7750) movement, there are enough unique aspects to the watch to make it an interesting model.

Dial

The Carrera uses the typical three-register layout of the Calibre 16 Carrera Chronograph, with the 12 and 6 o’clock sub-dials sharing the same radial patterning as the V3 Carrera 1887, as well as a similar 9 o’clock register.

The dial itself has a printed dial and hour-markers, rather than the applied logo and markers of the Carrera 1887.

This Carrera also gets a unique hand-set, with the model shown here having blue hands. The sub-dials at 12 and 6 o’clock use the same hands- square-bottomed pieces that will be very familiar to collectors of vintage Heuer watches, as it’s the same style used on many of the Chronomatic-powered watches of the 1970s. Below you see the same design used on a 1974 Heuer Silverstone.

Case and Bracelet

The Special Edition Carrera uses a polished 39mm case and no external tachy bezel, a style again consistent with the Carrera 1887. The tachy scale is mounted on an inner-bezel, in keeping with the original 1964 Carrera style.

There are two types of outer-bezel used for this watch. The white-dial has a polished outer-bezel, while the black-dial version has a brushed finish.

Efforts have been made to keep the costs of this Carrera low, given that it’s being sold through outlet stores, and you notice this when you see the bracelet.

Most Carrera bracelets have 5 rows of links, which alternate between a brushed and polished finish. The Special Edition Carrera uses a simple three-row bracelet with an all-brushed finish.

Caseback

The Carrera uses a steel caseback, which has a Clos de Paris pattern in the centre. While there has been a lot of debate about sapphire casebacks, I think the caseback on this Carrera looks pretty good

Black Dial

Here is the back-dial version, which apart from the obvious colour differences also has the brushed finish external bezel, as mentioned above- quite nice, but I prefer the white dial, mainly because the combination of white dial and blue hands works very well together.

On the Wrist

Putting aside that the Carrera is only in very limited release, I have to say that I think it looks great. Yes, I can see that there could have been confusion about this watch, the Carrera 1887, the Carrera Heritage and the Carrera Calibre 16 Chronograph all in the same line-up, but putting that aside, it’s a good-looking watch.

The watch has popped up at a few TAG Heuer outlet stores- certainly in the UK, US and Spain, but i’ts one that you’ll struggle to find. From the point of view of managing the Carrera range, I can see why this model was dropped, but for a watch lover I really enjoy seeing these unusual watches pop up. Imagine how boring life would be if they only watches you could buy were neatly set out in a single catalogue- part of the sport of collecting is seeking out that rare watch that no-one else has seen before- the only challenge is convincing people that the watch isn’t fake, because when most of us want to validate a watch, we still head straight for the brands’ website.

Photos

I can only imagine that there was a change of strategy with this model. no, I don't think it will be a case of there being anything "wrong"/ shortcomings (although as the article points out, there are some lower cost parts used on the watch, which tie with with its lower price-point).

Hi David, many thanks for your response. I have read the suggested article on the Monaco carbon, which was very interesting. It has however left me a little confused. Some of the comments suggest that watches like mine are produced in order to use up their surplus quality parts and that "local limited editions" prices can be lower. Does this in any way suggest it is a lesser watch

I love my Carrera CV201T.BA0794. It has a Calibre 16 movement, sapphire crystal back, five link bracelet and is a limited production run of 300. My purchase far exceeded my expectations when I visited the outlet in Cheshire Oaks. I went looking to buy something from the Aquaracer Calibre 5 range. But for similar high street prices now have something quite unique with a better movement. I suppose what I am trying to find out is that my purchase was a good one. Given that I paid considerably less than I could have in the high street jewellers for their non limited edition Carrera models.

PARTNERS

ABOUT

Founded in 2009, Calibre 11 is the Home of Vintage Heuer and TAG Heuer Collectors, offering unparelelled insight, analysis and new about the worlds of TAG Heuer. Offering the largest collection of Heuer and TAG Heuer Catalogues on the internet, Calibre 11 also offers collectors a unique database to search through your watch's reference number and history.